MSHA HANDBOOK SERIES - PH13-V-1 - Mine Safety and Health ...
MSHA HANDBOOK SERIES - PH13-V-1 - Mine Safety and Health ...
MSHA HANDBOOK SERIES - PH13-V-1 - Mine Safety and Health ...
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GENERAL COAL MINE INSPECTION PROCEDURES AND<br />
INSPECTION TRACKING SYSTEM <strong>HANDBOOK</strong> CHAPTER 5<br />
accumulation. Sampling near advancing mining sections, retreat mining sections,<br />
belt transfers, <strong>and</strong> any other locations where coal dust is generated, or accumulates<br />
should be emphasized. Inspectors should collect enough samples to define problem<br />
areas. When collecting rock dust samples, inspectors should document in their notes<br />
the facts needed to evaluate negligence <strong>and</strong> gravity of potential § 75.403 violations.<br />
Visual confirmation that rock dust has been applied to the non-compliant area(s) may<br />
be used to terminate a violation. However, if fresh rock dust is not evident,<br />
inspectors should resample non-compliant locations before terminating any<br />
enforcement actions. A green reading by <strong>MSHA</strong>s coal dust explosibility meter<br />
(CDEM) may be used for termination of a citation or order.<br />
Guidelines for sample areas, the minimum number of samples <strong>and</strong> the frequency of<br />
sampling are:<br />
Quarterly Sampling<br />
Working Sections<br />
Continuous <strong>Mine</strong>r <strong>and</strong> Conventional Working Sections<br />
Mining coal generates an average of 0.1 pounds of float coal dust per ton of coal<br />
mined according to research published by the U.S. Bureau of <strong>Mine</strong>s. Most of this<br />
float coal dust is deposited at or near the working sections. The likelihood of a<br />
methane ignition is greatest at the working faces due to the confluence of methane<br />
liberation during mining, frictional sparking from the mining process <strong>and</strong><br />
potential permissibility problems. The effective control of coal dust on the<br />
working section is critical to prevent small methane ignitions at or near the<br />
working face from transitioning to a large coal dust explosion.<br />
Inspectors should collect at least four b<strong>and</strong> samples per air course between 40 feet<br />
outby the working faces <strong>and</strong> 1,000 feet outby the working faces. Samples may be<br />
collected from completed (<strong>and</strong> roof-bolted) crosscuts within 40 feet of working<br />
faces. If the section has advanced less than 1,000 feet from the mouth of the<br />
section (where the section has broken off from a main or submain), samples may<br />
be collected from the portion of the main or submain aircourses within 1,000 feet<br />
of the working faces. At least one sample per air course should be collected inby<br />
the section loading point including, air courses separated by temporary<br />
ventilation controls similar to the sampling process of those separated by<br />
permanent ventilation controls. The inspector has the authority to close the<br />
necessary entries to mobile haulage equipment in order to collect the rock dust<br />
samples on a working section.<br />
Release 1 (February 2013) 5-13
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